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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26184652">Take Care of You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xynterra/pseuds/Xynterra'>Xynterra</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Old Guard (Movie 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:20:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,131</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26184652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xynterra/pseuds/Xynterra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Joe and Nicky have been best friends since they met in their first year at Hogwarts. Where ever one goes, the other usually isn't far behind. But in the summer before fourth year, something has changed.</p><p>Nicky has a secret.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>323</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I want to thank my good friend jainalake for planting the seed for this in my head and for all of the planning and screaming she did at/with me when the idea just wouldn't leave me alone.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Joe stands on the platform shifting his weight anxiously. His summer had been a pleasant one, but after nine whole weeks with his parents as his only company, he couldn’t wait to see his friends again. Next to him, Andy sighs and rests a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You need to stop fidgeting. Relax, he’ll be here,” she says then gestures her head toward the train. “But if we don’t get on now, we’re going to have a hard time finding a place to sit together.”</p><p>He shakes his head. “You guys go ahead. I’m going to wait a little longer.”</p><p>Andy opens her mouth to protest, but Quynh’s fingers are already curling around her wrist. She tugs Andy gently toward the train, and glances back to offer a small smile. “We’ll see you in a bit,” she says before they disappear into the crowd of families saying their goodbyes as the summer draws to a close.</p><p>A train horn blows, and Joe takes a small watch out of his pocket. <em>Five more minutes,</em> he thinks, <em>come on, where are you.</em> The sound of a crash catches his attention, and he looks up just in time to see someone stumbling through the wall. As he slips the watch back into his pocket, a grin spreads over his lips, and his feet are moving before he even has a chance to think about what he’s doing. “Nicky!” he yells.</p><p>The other boy is unsteady on his feet and breathing heavily as he lifts his head and turns it in the direction of the sound of his name. The handle of his case is grasped tightly in his hands and a duffel bag hangs off his shoulder. He teeters from the weight of his belongings, catches himself just before he falls over, and then it’s only a moment before Joe is at his side with a friendly arm around his shoulders to support him. Joe reaches for the case with his other hand, sharing some of the weight as he guides him to the cart where his own luggage is waiting. “Took you long enough,” he chuckles as they add Nicky’s case to the top of the pile.</p><p>“My parents were going to bring me to the station, but something came up,” Nicky explains. “I lost track of time waiting around for them and had to run.”</p><p>Joe laughs. “Is that so?” he teases. Nicky tries not to roll his eyes at his friend as he gives him a weak shove with his shoulder. Together they push the cart towards the train as another warning sounds. A station employee flags them over telling the boys to hurry up as the train would be leaving any moment. The boys leave the heaviest of their luggage with the employee to load onto the train. Joe takes his own duffel bag and his caged owl from the front of the cart and the two board the train.</p><p>As they walk down the corridor, they hear familiar laughter coming from one of the compartments and they hurry to where the sound is coming from. Quynh looks up at her friends when she sees them in the doorway and smiles warmly. “Hey, look who we found!”</p><p>Andy has Sebastien in a headlock. “You don’t even bother to wait for us!” she scolds playfully as they wrestle on the seat. “What kind of a friend are you!”</p><p>“I knew you guys would be waiting for him,” replies Sebastien, waving his hand at Nicky. “And he’s always late! Ow…Jeez...” Andy loosens her grip, but doesn’t let him go. “Besides,” he continues, “Someone had to secure us a compartment.” He squirms until he finally manages to escape Andy’s hold. A heavy sigh escapes him as he slouches back into the seat rubbing at his neck and shoulders.</p><p>Nicky drops his duffel bag onto the floor and slides onto the seat beside Quynh as the train begins to roll forward. Joe places the owl cage beside Sebastien and lifts both his and Nicky’s bags onto the overhead storage. He then motions his hand for Nicky to move over and plops down beside him.</p><p>The train ride passes comfortably with conversation flowing easily between the friends. Joe tells them about his trip with father to watch a few of the International Quidditch Tournament games. He shows them the scarf of his favorite team and gives Sebastien a signed photo card that the younger boy doesn’t stop staring at even after the player has walked out of the frame. Quynh complains about the boating trip she took with her muggle parents and younger siblings. If she doesn’t see water again for the rest of her life it’ll still be too soon. Sebastien speaks of Paris and a month spent with his grandparents. Andy shares her mother’s homemade baklava with them. When the trolley passes they buy chocolate frogs, jelly slugs, and licorice wands to share. Nicky falls asleep against Joe’s shoulder after eating half a chocolate frog. It doesn’t slip past Joe that Nicky hasn’t said much since their reunion, but he’d looked so tired on the platform, so he files the thought away for later and lets him sleep.</p><p>He reaches over and gently rubs Nicky’s shoulder when there are less than thirty minutes left in their journey. Nicky blinks his eyes awake slowly and looks around as if he can’t remember where he is. The realization he’s been leaning on Joe hits him, and he quickly sits up. “I’m sorry,” he says from behind the sleeve he’s using to wipe at his mouth. His cheeks start to brighten, so he buries his face in his hands and mumbles, “I didn’t drool on your sweater, did I?”</p><p>Joe shakes his head. “You’re fine, don’t worry about it.”</p><p>He stands and helps Sebastien pull down their bags. They take out their robes and the girls disappear to change. Sebastien pulls the curtains to their compartment and he and Joe begin taking off their street clothes. Nicky looks down at his own robes, looks back up at his friends. He squeezes and twists the fabric in his hands, then quietly excuses himself to get changed in the bathroom at the end of the corridor. Joe stares at his back until he disappears.</p><p>Before long, the train has stopped and everyone gets out. They ride together to the castle in a carriage, and head straight to the Great Hall where they take their seats at the table with the rest of the Gryffindor students.</p><p>This year’s welcome address is nothing special. First years are sorted without much excitement either. When the food is served, Joe watches as Nicky fills his plate. He raises a curious eyebrow watching him eat as if he’s been starving. The next time he looks over, Nicky is sitting with his hands folded in his lap still smiling and chatting with their friends, but his eyes keep glancing between the empty plate in front of him and the platter of food in the center of the table. Nicky doesn’t reach for seconds, so Joe takes more food when Nicky isn’t looking and pushes it onto Nicky’s plate. His face lights up in appreciation, but he hesitates before picking up his fork. “Are you sure?” he asks like he’s afraid of what the answer will be.</p><p>Joe chuckles. “Yeah, I guess my eyes were bigger than my stomach.” He can’t help smiling while he watches Nicky eagerly finish the rest of his food.</p><p>That night after they’ve settled back into their dorm and the lights have been turned out, Joe lies awake and wonders about all the little things he’d filed away about Nicky. He wonders if these are new things, or if they’re just things he never noticed before, and if he hadn’t then why now? And does it make him a bad friend for never noticing or a worse friend for wanting to stick his nose into something Nicky must have reasons for hiding? He turns his head, content to know the other boy rests peacefully in the bed next to his own, and <em>that</em>, he thinks, <em>is good enough for now.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“How can you be so bad at this?” Quynh asks. Her arms are folded across her chest, and Nicky shrinks under her sharp gaze. “All summer and nothing? I don’t believe you!”</p><p>Nicky takes a step back, “I couldn’t,” he whispers. “I tried.”</p><p>Quynh looks around the room at the rest of her friends. She leans in closer to Nicky. Her eyes narrow suspiciously. “Are you sure you did everything right?”</p><p>It’s Joe who comes to Nicky’s defense. He steps closer to stand at his friend’s side. “Hey now, if he says he did everything right and he still can’t do it, then he can’t do it. I’m sure he’ll figure out how to transform soon. He just needs more time.”</p><p>Joe's words make Nicky flinch. His hands slide up his arms until he’s hugging his chest and bows his head.</p><p>“He should have been the first,” Quynh argues. “How can he be so good at everything else? We’ve all managed at least some sort of success. He must have made a mis-”</p><p>“Enough!” Andy cuts her off. Her hand is on Quynh’s shoulder, a silent plea to tone back her frustration. “He isn’t good at potions either,” she reminds them. “Maybe it’s like Joe said. He just needs more time.” Quynh lets out a huff in response, but she relaxes and backs off. She knows they’re right. Becoming an animagus isn’t easy even with proper instruction.</p><p>It’s after classes have finished one day, and they’ve gathered in a small chamber Andy and Quynh had found hidden in the basement of the castle when they were in their second year. What they’re doing is dangerous and technically illegal, so they meet in secret when they have news to share and change locations often.</p><p>Last winter Andy and Quynh had snuck into one of the forbidden sections of the castle library. There they'd found one of the only books with a step by step guide detailing the process. They’d been diligent in following the steps exactly right and the weather had worked perfectly in their favor. It took them all spring to develop the potions they would need to use, and they had gone home that summer with the promise to keep up their training and drink them when the time was right.</p><p>Andy had been the first. She couldn’t wait until the end of summer and had sent them all an excited letter that told them she was able to become a falcon. Quynh had been next. Not only had she managed it once, her letter had said, but after a few weeks of practice, she was sure she had mastered changing at will. By the end of summer, so could Andy. Joe was next, and although he could make the change, he hadn’t fully mastered it yet. Sebastien had been the last and admitted that he’d only made the change once. When he finally figured out how to change back, he was too afraid to try again out of fear he’d be stuck as a raccoon forever.</p><p>Nicky, however, had come back with nothing. “Maybe you should just continue without me,” he suggests in a small voice. “Maybe I’m not meant for this. I’ll just be holding you back.”</p><p>Sebastien comes to his other side and nudges him gently. “What do you mean? You’re one of us, aren’t you? We’re in this together. We made a promise.”</p><p>Nicky doesn’t lift his head. He mumbles to his shoes, “Can’t I still be your friend even if this is something I can never do? I’m…” he hesitates, then sighs, “I’m tired.”</p><p>Joe looks across the room. His eyes meet Qyunh’s then Andy’s. They look just as shocked as he feels. <em>Where is this coming from?</em> he wonders but doesn’t dare ask. When they parted at the start of summer Nicky had been so eager. He had kept them on track in the beginning, had wanted it more than any of them.</p><p>The silence that fills the room is heavy. Nicky just stands there between all of them looking defeated. It’s Quynh’s voice that cuts through the quiet. “Of course,” she says gently. “It's surprising, but I didn’t mean anything else by it. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Me too,” Nicky mutters so quietly that even as close as Joe is standing he has to strain to hear it. A moment later he lets his arms fall back to his sides. When Nicky looks up again he’s smiling softly as if nothing has happened. “Anyway, you guys have perfected your transformations and still haven’t told us how.”</p><p>Just like that, Nicky’s own failure is forgotten. Andy launches into describing everything. She tells them how just before she changes and lets the animal take over she feels calm and free. Quynh clarifies that it feels more like becoming one with their animal self. She tells them they don’t lose themselves. Instead it’s a shared consciousness. An acceptance that allows for changing at will to happen naturally. “Keep practicing,” she tells them. “Don’t give up.”</p><p>When they finish talking Sebastien sticks his head out the door checking to make sure the coast is clear before they exit. They slip out into the basement and make sure the door is hidden and sealed before heading back up the stairs. They make their way through the castle’s twisting hallways back to the dorms. Joe throws a casual arm around Nicky’s shoulder steering him away from another student passing quickly in the opposite direction. Together they catch up with the rest of their friends waiting in front of the Fat Lady’s portrait.</p><p>She opens the door for them, but Nicky stands in the doorway and watches the others step inside. “I..uh..” he starts, “I just remembered I promised to help Professor Ugreth prepare something for one of his Defense classes tomorrow.” He turns, making his way towards the classrooms in a half jog. “I’ll catch up with you guys later!” he calls back to them. Then he’s gone up the stairs.</p><p>They don’t see him at dinner.</p><p>He still hasn’t returned by the time Joe gets into bed. As brilliant as Nicky is, it isn’t the first time he’s been asked a favor from one of their professors. In the light of the moon Joe stares at the empty bed and wonders why this one has kept him out so long, but it’s been a long day and he’s asleep before he has the chance to think too hard on it.</p><p>Nicky’s absence in the morning doesn’t surprise him either. In all the years he’s known him, Nicky has always been an early riser. Often Joe would catch him in the morning just as he was leaving the breakfast table to get a head start to his classes. With no shared classes that day, Joe doesn’t realize something isn’t right until he’s back in the common room that afternoon.</p><p>Lounging on one of the sofas dozing off while taking a break between completing his homework assignments he overhears some upperclassmen talking behind him. “-unconscious when they brought him in this morning, the poor thing,” a seventh year who volunteers in the infirmary says. “He’s lucky his injuries aren’t too severe. It could have been a lot worse.”</p><p>A sense of dread fills Joe. He sits up, turning around on the sofa to face the girls. “Who?” he asks, his mouth suddenly dry.</p><p>The girl shrugs, “Oh, hm, I can’t remember his name, but he was wearing our colors,” she hums. “Tall, thin, messy brown hair. Oh! He’s got a mole near his-”</p><p>“Nicky!” Joe interrupts. He gets to his feet quickly, gathers the books off the table in front of him, and is out the door before the girl can get another word in. He races down the hallway like he can’t get to the infirmary fast enough. His shoulder slams into one of the big double doors pushing it open. Still panting from his run, he scans the room. A soft sigh parts his lips when finally he spots him resting on a bed in the center of the room.</p><p>Nicky looks tired and pale, but he’s awake, sitting up and sipping on a glass of water through a straw. There’s a bandage on his cheek and another wrapped around his hand, but otherwise Joe can’t find any visible injuries. Joe makes his way toward the bed. He pulls up a stool, and Nicky smiles when he notices Joe beside him. Tentatively, as if afraid to hurt him more, Joe rests a hand on Nicky’s arm. “Tell me what happened.”</p><p>Nicky’s face flushes hot, and he turns his head away. “It’s stupid, really. I’m just a little clumsy,” he says with an embarrassed laugh. “I was moving a cage of pixies when one of them spooked me. I tripped over my own feet and fell backwards. The cage must have fallen on top of me.” He looks back to Joe with a reassuring smile, “I’ll be fine by tomorrow. Don’t worry.”</p><p>Joe laughs with him. His other hand reaches out to ruffle Nicky’s hair. “Idiot,” he scolds playfully, earning himself a gentle shove.</p><p>“Injured or not, we still have a History of Magic quiz tomorrow, and I know I’m not ready,” Joe says and opens the book resting in his lap. It falls open to a page somewhere in the middle where a licorice wand had been holding his page. The treat breaks easily in his hands. “One bite for every question answered correctly.”</p><p>The rest of the afternoon passes quickly in each other's presence. They take turns asking questions, and for every one Nicky gets right, Joe feeds him a piece of licorice wand. By the time they’ve covered all the material Nicky doesn’t look quite as pale, but Joe doesn’t want to leave him yet. He rests his arms on the edge of the bed and lays his head on them making himself comfortable as they talk quietly.</p><p>He stays until Madame Pomfrey escorts him to the door because Nicky needs more rest. Nicky waves sleepily from the bed and promises he’ll see him tomorrow in class.</p><p>And as promised, when Joe arrives for History of Magic, Nicky’s there pointing to the empty seat he saved for Joe like the last couple of days had never happened.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> “It’s been clear skies and sunny on this lovely November afternoon, and what a great match we’ve had here today. We’re just coming back from a short time out, and the score is now Gryffindor 50, Hufflepuff 20. Here comes Lumen for Hufflepuff looking to close the gap, but oh, Gryffindor's Blaize just sent a Bludger right to her, and Lumen fumbles the Quaffle. It’s picked up by Rodall for Gryffindor. We’ve seen some excellent teamwork from these two today. Rodall dodges, passes to Lykon. Lykon goes high. He dives toward the goal and scores again! Another 10 points for Gryffindor! Hufflepuff Keeper Lanche throws the Quaffle back into play. It’s caught by Pevys. Pevys tosses it back to Lumen. This may be her chance to redeem herself. Another Bludger flies toward her, but it’s knocked away by teammate Weviar. Lykon’s flying toward her, looks like he hopes to steal the Quaffle, but she’s upside down and out of reach! She tosses toward the goal and Al-Kaysani knocks it away! What a save! Pevys has the rebound. He’s standing on his broomstick almost at the goals. He’s leaning right, but the Quaffle goes left, and it’s another great save by Al-Kaysani! I don’t know how he got that one! Up in the sky it looks like Hufflepuff Seeker Raugre has spotted something. He’s diving toward the pitch and just barely avoids colliding with Rodall. Gryffindor Seeker Exalos is on his tail. Exalos takes a quick dive to avoid a Bludger shot by Weviar, but he’s quick to recover and catches up with Raugre. Exalos and Raugre are side by side. They’re both reaching. Raugre dips and narrowly avoids flying into a flag, but it could give Exalos the lead he needs. I think this could be it. It is! Ladies and gentlemen, Exalos has the Snitch! One hundred fifty points for Gryffindor, and that’s the match! Gryffindor 210, Hufflepuff 20!” </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>The players land their brooms and cross the pitch to shake hands. As they head to the locker room to shower and change, Lykon jogs up next to Joe and taps his shoulder, pointing to the stands behind them. Andy has her arms around Quynh and Nicky’s shoulders, and she’s cheering and yelling for their victory. Grinning, Lykon throws an arm around Joe’s shoulder, pumping his fist in the air. Sebastien snaps a photo before they hurry off the pitch to join the rest of the team.</p><p>Fresh from the showers, the team returns to the common room to find it decorated for a celebration. They’re enthusiastically welcomed back by the cheers of their housemates, congratulating them on their first win of the season. Streamers hang from the ceiling, and a banner is draped over the fireplace. Laid out on a table in the center of the room are snacks and sweets and bottles of Pumpkin Fizz and Butterbeer.</p><p>Joe and Lykon break off from the rest of their teammates and have just enough time to make it to the table before they’re surrounded by a group of underclassmen girls. The girls crowd around Lykon, pushing Joe out of the way. They hand him gifts and tell him how well he played, and Lykon gives them his full attention. He’s good with their fans, taking the time to make each of them feel appreciated.</p><p>Joe pushes his way past the girls to Quynh who hands him an opened bottle of Butterbeer. “You were amazing!” she gushes. “All those saves! I don’t know how you move so fast! And that last one where you did that quick figure eight to cover all the goals? Incredible!”</p><p>Joe shrugs and takes a sip of his drink. “Oh, you know, practice.” Quynh rolls her eyes.</p><p>Right on cue, Sebastien bounds up to them with freshly developed photos in one hand and a bag of jelly slugs in the other. “She’s right,” he says, passing Joe a moving photo of himself making a loop in front of the goals. The ball, when he knocks it away, comes flying toward the camera, obscuring the shot before the whole clip plays over again in a loop. “That save was pretty amazing.”</p><p>Across the room, Andy wraps her hand around Lykon’s arm. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to borrow him for a while,” she tells the girls as she pulls him away. As patient as he is, even Lykon has his limits. He pats her hand, thankful for the rescue.</p><p>Quynh and Sebastien turn their attention to him, and Joe excuses himself from the conversation to get himself something to eat. Standing at the refreshment table his housemates have laid out, he pauses to look around the room. When he doesn’t find what he’s looking for he heads back to where his friends are still talking. “Hey,” he interrupts, “Have you guys seen Nicky?”</p><p>Silence falls between them. They look around the room, then to each other.</p><p>Finally Sebastien speaks up, “I haven’t seen him since we left the game. He said he left something in the stands and had to run back for it”</p><p>Panic begins to rise in Joe. “What do you mean? It’s not that far away! He should be back by now!”</p><p>Andy puts her hand on Joe’s arm. “You need to calm down,” she says softly. “I bet he got caught up talking to a professor, you know how he is. I’m sure he’ll be back later.”</p><p>Joe takes a breath, but the tension doesn’t leave him. He moves among the group of friends, positioning himself so that he can keep an eye on the door. Nicky never walks through.</p><p>Joe doesn’t see him until the next day. It’s a lazy Sunday morning. By the time he’s finally up, dressed, and makes his way to the Great Hall for breakfast, Nicky is already there. He’s sitting at the table, but he looks like he could fall asleep in the bowl of porridge in front of him. Still he smiles brightly when Joe walks in.</p><p>“Look who’s finally up,” Nicky says as he slides over on the bench for Joe to sit beside him.</p><p>Joe tries to steady himself with a hand on Nicky’s shoulder while he puts one leg after the other over the bench, but Nicky hisses and pulls away from the other’s touch. Joe takes his hand away like it’s on fire. “What did I do?” he asks, sliding close to his best friend, but Nicky just waves his hand dismissively.</p><p>“Nothing!” Nicky’s quick to reassure him. Joe narrows his eyes, he knows it isn’t nothing, and Nicky knows he’s caught. “Ah… Alright… Yesterday I left my scarf in the stands so I had to go back up to get it. My foot missed a rung coming back down the ladder. I think I dislocated my shoulder in the fall,” he explains, unable to meet Joe’s eyes. “But it’s fine!” he then insists. “They fixed me up last night, but wanted to keep me just in case.” He lifts his arm trying to prove it’s ok. “See? A little tender, but otherwise good as new. Don’t worry!” </p><p>That afternoon, Nicky falls asleep on a sofa in the common room with his head in Joe’s lap, and Joe definitely worries. It’s the third time in as many months that Nicky has done something clumsy, and it doesn’t seem like him. It had been two months since he said he got spooked by the pixies, and almost a month ago Nicky had spent two nights in the infirmary after a broom accident. When he’d shown up with Andy, Quynh, and Sebastien to visit, Nicky had been covered in cuts and scratches, but he shrugged and told them he had gotten distracted and flown into a thorn bush.</p><p>They’d spent that whole afternoon at his bedside. Quynh stroked his hair and inspected his wounds. She stared at him doubtfully, but was overall relieved he was fine and nothing was broken. They had taken turns feeding him pieces of the baklava Andy’s mother had sent a few days before. Nicky had bet Sebastien his dessert for the next week that he couldn’t catch a piece tossed into his mouth. When he succeeded on the first try, Nicky increased the challenge and bet him dessert for two weeks if he could catch it when Joe threw from across the bed. They’d all laughed when it was a bet Nicky lost.</p><p>Joe sighs and brushes his fingers through Nicky’s soft, messy hair. In addition to his clumsiness, he’s noticed Nicky looks more tired lately. <em> No, </em> Joe thinks, <em> not tired. He looks sad. </em> So Joe shifts carefully so that he doesn’t wake Nicky, reaches for a notebook, and begins to draw.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning as Nicky settles into his seat for his Arithmancy class and takes his book from his bag a small piece of paper falls out with it. It lands upside down on the table in front of him. Nicky sets the book down, and the paper flutters from the air forced out under the heavy book. Just before it flies off the table Nicky grabs it and flips it over.</p><p>A drawing of a fried egg sunny side up with a smiling face on the yolk stares up at him. The yolk bounces up and down, the image animated with magic. Under the egg is written, <em>Have an egg-cellent day! I hope it’s eggs-tra good!</em> The note isn’t signed, but Nicky recognizes the handwriting as Joe’s. He smiles to himself. Then he folds the note and tucks it into a pocket in his bag.</p><p>He finds another note in a pocket of his robes the next morning. He’s cutting across one of the courtyards to get from one side of the castle to the other with his hands stuffed in his pockets to keep warm. His fingers brush along the edges of a folded paper he can’t remember putting there. Once back in the warmth of the castle he pulls the paper out and unfolds it. This one has a drawing of a chocolate bar and a carton of milk. Each has arms and legs and faces, and the image is animated just like the last one. The figures are shaking hands. Above the picture are the words <em>chocolate milkshake</em>. Nicky stifles a laugh in the quiet hallway and shakes his head. He tucks the note into the same pocket as the first.</p><p>The next note is spit into his face by his Care of Magical Creatures book. Nicky nearly drops the book in surprise as he tries to get hold of the paper flying toward him. He sits on a nearby stump and settles to book in his lap, stroking it until it calms down. With his other hand he unfolds the note to discover a drawing of several fluffy puffskeins. Next to them is written, <em>Did you know a group of Puffskeins is called a poffle?</em></p><p>Joe is at quidditch practice when he returns to the dorms that afternoon, but there’s another note on his pillow. This one is a steaming cup of coffee and reads, <em>See you latte!</em> Nicky rolls his eyes, but he clears out a small wooden box and places it inside with the rest of the notes.</p><p>Over the next few weeks leading to Christmas vacation, Nicky finds at least one note a day. He finds them in his books and in the pockets of his pants. He finds them under his pillow when he makes his bed in the morning. He’s even found them in his shoes before putting them on his feet. Some of them are more bad puns, others have random facts. Each one is different, and they ease the stress of the coming exams. He tucks each one away into the wooden box. Once or twice he thinks he catches Joe watching him from the doorway, grinning.</p>
<hr/><p>“What do you mean you’re not going home for the holidays?” Joe asks at dinner the night after their last exam.</p><p>Nicky chews his lip and wonders if he shouldn’t have said anything. But now his friends are staring at him and waiting for an answer. “My parents will both be busy at the Ministry,” he says. It’s not a lie – they know both his parents are powerful figures: two pure-blood wizards from well known bloodlines – but it isn’t exactly the truth either. He hates lying to them like this, but he knows the truth could cost him everything. “Aside from Christmas Day, they don’t have any time off. It’s better if I stay here.”</p><p>“Alone?”</p><p>“I won’t be the only one staying on campus, so wouldn’t I be less alone if I stay here?” he counters. “Anyway, the quiet might be nice,” he continues with a smile, but isn’t sure who he’s trying to convince. “Plus if the Christmas feast is anything like the one at Halloween, I don’t have any complaints.”</p><p>Joe shakes his head. “I won’t accept it. My family doesn’t celebrate, so correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Christmas a time meant to be spent with family and people who care about you? If you’re here, you might as well be alone.” Nicky opens his mouth to argue, but Joe keeps going. “No, you aren’t staying here. If you can’t go home then you’ll come home with me.”</p><p>Nicky freezes. <em>No</em>, he thinks, <em>that would be the worst.</em> “I… I couldn’t,” he says quickly. “You don’t have to go out of your way to accommodate me. Especially not on such a short notice.”</p><p>He trails off hoping it’s enough. “Nonsense,” Joe interrupts. “There’s plenty of space at my house, and my parents would love to have you. They’re always asking when I’m going to bring my friends over, anyway.”</p><p>“I really couldn’t. I’ll be fine here,” Nicky tries to insist. He pleads silently for his friend to understand. <em>It’s better off this way</em>, he thinks, but can’t bring himself to say.</p><p>Joe takes paper and a quill from his bag and starts writing. “Here, I’ll send them an owl. Would that make you feel better?” He’s summoned his owl and the note is gone before Nicky even has another chance to protest. “Come on!” Joe grabs him by the wrist pulling him up from the table. “We don’t have a lot of time. Let’s get you packed!”</p><p>Joe’s owl returns the next morning at breakfast with a letter from his parents. In it his mother had asked what foods Nicky likes so she could prepare them, and they already went out and cut down a pine tree because Nicky should feel at home, and that’s tradition, right? She also wrote that they couldn’t wait to meet him and they’d meet both boys at the station in the evening.</p><p>Nicky’s still reluctant to accept, but after reading everything she’s done overnight, it would be rude to keep refusing, which is how he finds himself on the train that afternoon. Joe sits next to him talking excitedly about all the things they’re going to do once they get to his parents’ house and how much fun they’re going to have together during the two weeks of vacation, but Nicky hears none of it. All he can think about is the upcoming full moon.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Joe’s parents are waiting on the platform when the boys step off the train. Joe carries both of their bags, one over his shoulder and the other in his hand, and waves as he rushes over to them. Nicky trails behind, quiet and shy. He lets Joe introduce him, smiles politely, and greets them with a formal, “Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Al-Kaysani.”</p><p>He then turns toward Joe, “Are you sure this is ok?” he asks quietly. “I don’t live far, I can always go home.”</p><p>Joe’s father chuckles. He rests a large, warm hand on Nicky’s back. “Yusuf tells us your parents are very busy. It would be boring if we left you there alone. Our home is your home. Yusuf’s friends are always welcome. And please, call me Rahim. Mr. Al-Kaysani sounds so old.”</p><p>His mother holds out her hand, and Nicky takes it gently. “Nasria,” she says. “It’s so good to finally meet you, though I feel like I already know you. Yusuf talks about you all the time.” Both boys flush pink all the way to their ears, and Joe mumbles something about how he definitely does not. His mother shrugs. “Oh? Must have been someone else,” she says leading the way to the exit.</p><p>Joe’s father takes their bags, and tucks them away when they reach the car. Nicky hesitates once more at the car door, but before he can say anything Joe nudges him to get in and slides in beside him.</p><p>The car uses magic to drive itself, but as long as they’re on the busy streets of London, Joe’s father keeps his hands on the steering wheel. Once they leave the city, he flicks his wand to enchant the vehicle making it invisible to muggles. Then he flips a switch and the whole thing takes off.</p><p>Nicky gasps and leans over, face pressed against the glass of the window. He’d never been in a flying car before, nor had he ever taken a plane. He marvels at the ground below. The ground is a rolling blanket of greens, yellows, and browns. The lights of the city shine behind them. Trees and cars beneath them look so small like toys he played with when he was younger, and he thinks he’s never seen something so beautiful.</p><p>They arrive an hour later at the Al-Kaysani family home on the outskirts of a small village. Inside it’s cozy and warm and Joe’s mother leads Nicky to the guest bedroom on the second floor across from Joe’s room and tells him to make himself at home.</p><p>Joe’s parents are incredibly kind. The first morning he wakes up shivering and that night when he goes to bed two more thick blankets lay folded on his bed. Joe must have told his mother his favorite foods because she cooks every one and it tastes like home. Joe’s father brings in the tree they’d cut down and sets it up in the living room. Nicky shows them how his own parents had once decorated the tree with magic. They wrap the tree in tinsel that sparkles and glows tinsel and small lights that float near the branches. As he watches Joe put a star on the top, he stands back in disbelief that they have done all this just for him. It didn’t seem like much, but Nicky’s chest feels warm.</p><p>They get lucky, and it snows during the night before Christmas Eve. After breakfast, Joe takes Nicky to the shed at the side of the house and pulls out two round sleds. They climb the hill behind the house and race each other down. When they’ve had enough they build a small army of tiny snowmen with what little snow coats the ground until Joe’s mother calls them back inside for lunch.</p><p>After lunch, Joe goes back to his room to take a warm shower, and his mother makes them all tea. Nicky sits at the table with his hands around his mug watching as the cream swirls around mixing with the pale liquid and thinking about the shed. A comfortable silence has settled in the room that Nicky hesitates to break knowing that once he does everything will likely change. <em>I have to keep them safe</em>, he reminds himself. His throat is dry, so he takes a sip of his tea and then he forces the words out. “Does the shed have a lock? A key?”</p><p>Joe’s father doesn’t look up from the paper he’s reading when he answers, “It does, but why? There’s nothing in there that isn't easily replaced.”</p><p>Nicky sighs softly. He should have known he wouldn’t have been able to avoid the truth. “I’m afraid I haven’t been completely honest with you,” he says into his tea, trying to keep his voice as even as possible.</p><p>Joe’s mother frowns softly and reaches her hand out. She gently pulls one of his hands from his mug and curls her fingers around his. “We all have secrets, honey. It’s alright if you don’t want to tell us everything.”</p><p>Nicky shakes his head and pulls his hand away, “No! You don’t understand! I don’t want to hurt you!” He buries his face in his hands. Joe’s parents exchange a worried glance over him, but they don’t press him to continue. “I’m a werewolf, and I don't deserve it, but you’ve been so good to me,” he mutters into his palms, voice shaking now. “The full moon is coming, and you need to lock me away! I don’t want to hurt you!” he repeats, sobbing. He knows they’ll likely kick him out now that they know. Why would they knowingly want to keep someone like him in their home so close to the full moon? He wasn’t even human; surely they must hate him now.</p><p>But Joe’s mother is out of her chair almost immediately and at his side. She wraps her arms around his shoulders and holds him tightly to her chest. It’s so far from the response Nicky had expected, and he lets her cradle him in her arms as he cries harder. “Shh… Everything is going to be alright,” she coos as she strokes his hair.</p><p>“Please,” he chokes out between sobs. “Please, you can’t tell Joe. I can’t-” he takes another shaking breath. “I don’t want him to look at me differently. I can’t lose him!” he finally manages.</p><p>Joe’s father pulls his chair closer. He rubs Nicky’s shoulder, and speaks gently. “If he’s your friend, don’t you think he deserves the truth? If he’s your friend it won’t matter to him what you are.”</p><p>Nicky doesn’t reply; it would be too much to hope. Instead he stays wrapped in the arms of Joe’s mother until his sobs calm into soft hiccups. He pushes away and wipes his eyes on his sweater. “I’m sorry,” he says, and then “Thank you.”</p><p>By the time Joe returns from his shower all evidence of Nicky’s confession has been removed with a quick charm.</p><p>On Christmas they don’t have any gifts to exchange, but Joe’s father lights a fire in the fireplace, and they sit around the tree drinking hot chocolate. Joe’s mother spends all day roasting a turkey the muggle way because she’d read it comes out better that way. They eat in the late afternoon, and Nicky thinks it’s the best thing he’s ever eaten. Everything is peaceful and perfect until he notices the setting sun.</p><p>Joe’s mother catches him looking out the window as the last rays of sunlight disappear. She pushes away from her chair and asks, “Nicky, the church in town is having an evening service. Would you show me what it’s like?”</p><p>Nicky almost tells her no, that he hasn’t been to church since he was little and went with his grandmother. But then he realizes what she’s trying to do. He gets up and smiles. “Yes, please, It would be my pleasure.”</p><p>Joe puts his napkin on the table and hastily gets up to follow, but his father stops him on the way to the door. “Why don’t you help me clean up, and then we can put on the quidditch match.”</p><p>Joe looks between the door and his father. He takes another glance at the door, but then turns to help clear the table and tidy the kitchen. Once they’ve finished, they settle on the sofa in front of the TV. Content and full, Joe feels his eyelids get heavy and falls asleep almost as soon as he sits down.</p><p>When he opens his eyes again the match has ended, and it’s already dark. He gets up and finds his parents in the kitchen playing wizard’s chess. “Where’s Nicky?” he asks as he settles into a chair to watch.</p><p>“He said he was exhausted, and went upstairs to bed,” his mother says, then turns the board toward her son. “Your father has been beating me, but I think you can turn this game around.” He doesn't, but challenges his father to a rematch and wins which satisfies neither of them. By the time Joe has barely managed to win the third game, it’s late in the evening. Joe kisses his mother on the cheek and excuses himself to go to bed.</p><p>In the morning, he stumbles into the kitchen to find everyone else is already awake. “Good morning,” he says groggily and rubs at his eyes. When he finally blinks them fully open, he sees Nicky at the table with the same pale and tired expression that had become so familiar. “Nicky!” he says, rushing to his friend’s side. Both his hands are bandaged, and Joe reaches out to inspect his injuries, but hesitates before he touches them, afraid of hurting him more. “What happened last night?”</p><p>“Funny story actually. We never made it to the church,” he says with a nervous laugh. “I slipped on some black ice crossing one of the streets. My palms got scraped up on the road, but your mom brought me home and patched me up, good as new.”</p><p>Nicky reaches across the table to pull a jar of strawberry jam closer to himself. His bandaged hand fumbles with a knife, and Joe reaches over to gently take it from him. He spreads jam onto a piece of toast. He cuts it into small pieces and feeds them to Nicky who blushes knowing they’re being watched. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” Joe tells him softly.</p><p>Nicky offers him a small, weak smile. “It’s ok. Really.”</p><p>From the kitchen, Joe’s father watches the boys with a soft, knowing smile. “Yusuf?” he interrupts. “Can I have a word?”</p><p>Joe turns his gaze from Nicky to his father, reluctantly excuses himself from the table, and follows him into his study. “I know what you did,” he says after the door shuts behind them. His eyes are firm, yet still kind, and Joe stares at him confused. “Last summer,” his father explains. “I know you’ve become an animagus. You're not as sly as you think.” Joe looks like he might protest, so he holds up his hand, signaling Joe to wait until he’s finished. “Don’t worry. You’re not in trouble, and I’m not going to tell anyone.” Joe breathes a sigh of relief, and sits in the chair his father has pulled out for him.</p><p>“Nicky’s important to you?” he asks.</p><p>“Dad,” Joe sighs, “he’s everything.” The tips of his ears turn pink. He can’t believe he’s said that out loud, but it’s too late to take it back now.</p><p>His father’s eyes soften. “Good. Then there’s something I need you to do.”</p><p>Joe nods. He watches as his father goes to a chest in the corner of the room. He taps the padlock with his wand, and it comes open. He pulls a shimmering cloth from the box, and Joe notices he can see the ground through it, but he can’t see his father’s hands holding it.</p><p>“Nicky is a werewolf,” he tells him, and Joe’s eyes grow wide. Suddenly all the disappearances and injuries make sense. In a few short moments his expression shifts between shock, anger, disappointment, and hurt before settling again on concern. “It should be him telling you this, I know, but I can’t watch either of you like this. He’s afraid you’ll abandon him. You’re not going to abandon him, right?” Joe doesn’t hesitate, just nods quickly. He would never dream of leaving Nicky. His father then drapes the cloak of invisibility over his lap. “That's good,” he proceeds, “because as animagi, you and your friends are going to help him.”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Joe waits until vacation is over to tell the rest of their friends. He knows it’s something he needs to tell them in person. As soon as they return he gathers them in one of their hidden meeting places. He invites Nicky, too, knowing that since his outburst at the beginning of the year he’s refused to meet with them, instead making an excuse to do something else. This time when Nicky refuses, Joe understands it’s because it hurts too much to be with them, knowing he’ll never have what they have.</p><p>It’s Andy’s voice that breaks him from his thoughts. “So what was so important that you couldn’t wait to tell us?”</p><p>Joe smiles faintly and takes the cloak of invisibility from his bag. His friends gasp. “Is that…?” Sebastien says, voice full of wonder. “How did you get it?” he asks.</p><p>“It was a gift from my dad,” his smile fades. For a moment he doubts he should tell them what he has learned. He shakes the thought from his head. His friends are good people. <em>The truth didn’t change me</em>, he thinks, <em>it won’t change them either</em>. “There’s something you need to know.” He sighs softly, thinking, <em>here goes nothing</em>. “Nicky’s a werewolf.”</p><p>Andy’s eyes go wide. “Of course!” she bursts out. “All his disappearances. All those scratches. That makes so much sense!”</p><p>Beside her, Quynh is frowning. “He can’t become an animagus…” she whispers. Then louder, “He was trying to tell us that day! Oh, Nicky…”</p><p>Sebastien looks from the cloak back to Joe, “We’re going to use this to help him?” Joe nods. “How? I mean, won’t he just bite us, too?”</p><p>Joe shakes his head. “He's only a threat to us if we're human. If we stay around him as animals, it will keep him calm. He’ll be himself.”</p><p>“And you’re sure of it?” asks Andy.</p><p>“Sure enough that I would risk my life on it just to see him happy again.”</p><p>Quynh nods. “I’m in,” she says. “Nicky needs us.”</p><p>“Me, too,” Sebastien adds.</p><p>They all look at Andy. “What? You think I’d let you guys have all the fun?”</p><p>“Good,” says Joe. “Here’s what we’re going to do…”</p><hr/><p>The notes Joe leaves for Nicky change. Instead of simple words meant to make him smile, he tries to make them more encouraging. He puts a drawing of a cookie in Nicky’s Herbology book, the words <em>Tough cookies never crumble</em> around it. He stuffs another one with a drawing of an abacus and the words <em>You can always count on me</em> into one of his books. Nicky clutches each one tightly for a moment before filing them away in his box.</p><p>As the sun is setting in the early evening on the night of the full moon, Nicky finds another note on his pillow. There’s no drawing on this one, only the words Y<em>ou’ll never lose me</em>. This one makes him sigh. <em>If only</em>, he thinks as he tucks it into the box with the others. He packs a bag with a change of clothes and throws it over his shoulder.</p><p>Back downstairs in the common room, he spots his friends sharing a box of every flavor beans. “Nicky!” calls Andy. She holds out a suspicious light green colored bean. “I think this one has your name on it.”</p><p>Nicky shifts between his feet. His grip tightens around the bag’s straps at his shoulder. “Ah..” he starts. “I need to get to the library. Big report due tomorrow. I think I’ll be up all night writing it.” His friends nod sympathetically. “Don’t wait up!” he calls and turns for the door.</p><p>Once he’s gone, Joe pulls the cloak of invisibility out from under his chair. He looks around the room to make sure there isn’t anyone else around before he pulls it over himself. He holds the edge of it up for the others to get under with him, but Andy stays on the outside.</p><p>“There isn’t enough room,” she says. “Send me a signal once you find out where he’s going, and I’ll catch up with you.” She rolls her eyes when they stand there staring at her confused. “I’m a bird. Now go, or you’ll miss him!”</p><p>Joe nods and lets the cloak fall closed around them. Andy had been right. With the three of them under it, there’s just enough room to move while remaining under its cover. They let Andy open the door for them and make their way out into the hall in time to catch Nicky going around a corner at the bottom of the stairs.</p><p>They follow him to the infirmary and stand just inside the doorway when Nicky stops. He slips the bag off his shoulder, dropping it onto one of the beds. Then he shrugs out of his robes and folds them neatly beside his bag. His shirt comes off next, and Joe tries not to gasp when he sees the scars covering Nicky’s body. It only fuels his determination to help his friend.</p><p>Nicky reaches into his bag and takes out an old worn out shirt. He pulls it over his head and they can see it’s stretched and torn in places. Madame Pomfrey rests a hand on his shoulder and whispers something the others can’t hear from where they stand. Nicky nods and follows her. They stand at the wall, and she taps the corner of a stone with her wand. A passage opens and the two enter before it quickly closes again behind them.</p><p>Not wanting to alert the other two by opening the doorway again so soon, the friends wait where they are for a moment. They rely on Sebastien’s photographic memory to find the exact spot to open the passage. He taps his wand on the same stone and sure enough it opens. In the distance, a light from the tip of a wand can be seen, and they start to make their way through the same thin dark hallway. They emerge from the side of the castle in front of the Whomping Willow.</p><p>On second glance, they notice the tree has been paralyzed. They can’t see anything else, and think they must have lost Nicky until Madam Pomfrey comes out from another tunnel at the base of the tree without him. She pokes a spot on the trunk of the tree, and it comes back to life, shaking out its bare branches like a wet dog. She then returns through the passage back into the castle.</p><p>When she’s out of sight, Quynh, Sebastien, and Joe step out from under the cloak. Quynh fires a light from the tip of her wand into the air, and before long Andy is gliding toward them. She swoops between the branches of the Whomping Willow creating a distraction for them to enter the tunnel, then she dives toward it behind them as a branch chases after her. Inside she transforms back and catches up with the rest of her friends.</p><p>Quynh is the first to reach the end of the tunnel. She finds herself in a small hallway at the bottom of a stairway. “The Shrieking Shack,” she whispers, looking around the inside of the shabby building.</p><p>They let Joe lead the way up the stairs. As the one closest to Nicky, they know he should be the one to get to him first. He tells them to wait outside the door to the only room at the top of the stairs and slowly pushes it open.</p><p>Nicky sits on the floor in the corner of the room. His legs are pulled up to his chest, and his head rests on his knees, eyes closed. Joe takes a step into the room and the floorboards squeak. Nicky’s eyes fly open, staring at the door and Joe. It takes a moment to process what he’s seeing, but once he does he’s on his feet, making his way to where Joe is standing.</p><p>“How did you get here?” he yells. His hands are on Joe’s shoulders and he’s trying to push him back, but Joe stands firm. “You can’t be here!” Nicky cries. “You have to leave!” Still Joe doesn’t move. His own hands cup around Nicky’s shoulders, rubbing them gently, but Nicky squirms and forces them away. “You don’t understand!” he keeps saying. “You can’t stay here...” he starts to trail off, voice getting weaker as tears start to fall. “Before it’s too late… Please… Just go…”</p><p>A glance out the room's only window tells him it’s already too late, but Joe doesn’t let Nicky push him away. Instead he takes a step closer, his arms tightly wrapping around Nicky’s shoulders. “It’s ok,” he whispers, “I told you, you can’t lose me.” As the words leave him Nicky starts to transform. He howls from the pain of it, and Joe has to look away, unable to bear seeing his friend in pain. Before long his hands are buried in thick grey fur, and he takes a step back, shifting himself.</p><p>Large black paws hit the ground at the same time as slim grey ones. Nicky looks down at his paws and then back up to stare into the eyes of a large black dog. He tilts his head to the side, looking at his reflection in the other’s eyes, then lets out a soft whimper. He’s a wolf, but his thoughts are still his own, and it doesn’t make sense. So he takes a step back, tail between his legs, and tries to get away, sure that it’s only a matter of time before the wolf’s mind takes over looking for someone to bite, but it never does.</p><p>Joe follows each step, and soon Nicky is back against the wall. He nuzzles his snout against Nicky’s fur and lays his head on the back of Nicky’s neck.</p><p>It’s then Nicky realizes he can hear Joe’s voice in his head. <em>You’re ok</em>, he says. <em>We’ve got you</em>.</p><p><em>We?</em> Nicky thinks. He nervously lifts his head and looks around the room. Andy in her peregrine falcon form is perched on the arm of a coat hanger. Quynh, a sarus crane, stands tall, glaring at him from the doorway. Behind her Sebastien hobbles up the stairs as a raccoon, dragging the cloak of invisibility behind him by his mouth.</p><p><em>It doesn’t make sense</em>, his thoughts continue. The moon is high in the sky by now, and he should be wild. Instead he’s sinking to the floor trying to understand what is - or isn’t, he supposes - happening to him. His paws slide out in front of him and he lays himself down.</p><p>Unafraid, Joe curls up by his side and rests a large black paw over Nicky’s grey one. <em>Take as long as you need</em>, his voice echoes in Nicky’s mind. <em>We’re not leaving you tonight.</em> He nuzzles into Nicky’s side and closes his eyes. Andy turns on her perch to face the door, and Quynh stands at her side. Even Sebastien settles against Nicky’s soft fur. Sure that Nicky is calm, they wait out the night together.</p><p>They don’t leave until the first rays of sun come in through the only window, and Nicky has transformed back into himself. Knowing Madam Pomfrey would be back for Nicky soon, they slip back out under the cloak.</p><p>After breakfast, they return to the infirmary where they find Nicky sitting on the side of one of the beds. His face is pale and tired, but they hear Madam Pomfrey tell him she can’t find a single injury on him. She lays a kind hand on his shoulder and gently turns him to face his friends. “You have visitors,” she says gently. Then she leaves, ducking into an office to give him privacy to speak with his friends.</p><p>Nicky doesn’t look at them. He just stares at his hands in his lap. Joe sits beside him and takes his hand. Sebastien sits on his other side and bumps his shoulder against Nicky’s. “How are you feeling?” he asks, and Nicky just shrugs. “That good, huh? Well if it makes you feel any better you look like you could eat an entire roast, and then maybe sleep for at least a week,” he teases, but his teasing doesn’t make him smile.</p><p>Nicky chews his lip to keep it from trembling. “You don’t have to do this,” he says eventually. “I know what you must think of…” he hesitates and screws up his face like he can’t stand the thought himself. “I’m not human anymore. You can stop pretending to be my friends now that you know the truth.”</p><p>“Is that what you think last night was? Pretending?” Andy interrupts. “We spent the whole night keeping you company. Keeping you safe! And you think we’re just pretending?” When Nicky doesn’t reply, she keeps going. “Of course we weren’t!” A smile spreads over her face. “But do you know what this means? Just think of all the places we can explore! Between our transformations and Joe’s cloak, we can go anywhere!”</p><p>Joe’s face brightens as well, and he squeezes Nicky’s hand. “We’ll need a map so we don’t get lost,” he says. “I’ll be sure to make it the best.”</p><p>Nicky looks up at his friend’s faces. They’re all smiling at him. “I don’t understand,” he mutters. “I'm dangerous. You should hate me.”</p><p>Quynh sighs and thumps him lightly on the head, then she lowers herself enough to wrap her arms around his shoulders. “What don’t you understand? You’re our friend. It doesn’t matter what you are. So what if the full moon turns you into a beast? Have you seen Lykon when he's hungry? I'd say he's got you beat." That gets him to chuckle, so she smiles and gives him a good squeeze. "You’re still the same Nicky. You won’t hurt us. Last night proved that, so what else is there? Nothing’s changed. We’re in this together.”</p><p>Nicky’s head falls against her shoulder, and there on the bed in the infirmary room, surrounded in the arms of all his friends, Nicky cries tears of relief.</p><hr/><p>A week later, Joe proudly shows off a note Nicky left on his pillow clearly meant for everyone. It’s a moving drawing of a paperclip listening to a stack of paper say, <em>“Thanks for keeping me together when I’m falling apart.”</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I want to thank you all for the love you have given this story. I've been incredibly grateful and overwhelmed by how well it's been received. You guys are awesome.</p><p>Also big thanks again to jainalake who has been the best cheerleader and enabler.</p><p>This story may be over, but it's just the beginning for this AU. There is so much more in this universe that I have left to share with you.</p><p>I lurk on tumblr as <a href="https://xynterra.tumblr.com/">Xynterra</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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